Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union (CdT)

A new visual identity to carry us into the year ahead…

We’re excited to reveal the Translation Centre’s updated logo: a visual sign of our evolution and of our commitment to innovation, multilingual access, and ever-closer cooperation with our partners across the EU.

Our refreshed visual identity marks the beginning of a new phase: one where technology and human expertise work hand in hand to bring Europe’s messages to every citizen in every language.

Discover our new visual identity guidelines here https://GYbzeG.short.gy/reA5SY, and the logo is available for download for stakeholders and partners https://GYbzeG.short.gy/zHEMIT.

We are recruiting a Language Technology Analyst to support data-driven language solutions at the Centre. Join us to help shape multilingual innovation. https://bit.ly/4p5WfYQ

🌐 MEMT in 2023! ✨

2023 marked a major leap into the future for the Centre! 🚀 Thanks to the dedicated work of our language tech experts, we successfully launched our brand new, cutting-edge multi-engine machine translation (MEMT) strategy.

Combining multiple powerful machine translation engines from three different providers, including specialist sources trained on client-specific and EU-wide texts, MEMT revolves around a customised AI-driven algorithm that selects the best possible translation for each segment in the CAT tool. The segments are then reviewed and post-edited by our translators. 🧠

But it doesn’t just stop there for our language specialists. As well as being involved in the initial evaluation of the algorithmic output, they also play a key role in ongoing quality feedback loops, helping MEMT to continue learning and evolving. 💡🔁 No ‘hallucinations’ here – just smarter, faster, high-quality language services for our clients.

We haven’t rested on our laurels since launching MEMT either. We are committed to a continuous process of innovation. And as we enter our fourth decade, we’re continuing to explore and implement the latest advances in language technology. 🛠️🔍

💬 Exciting new services rolled out in 2021! 🆕

Dare we say that 2021 was one of our most exciting years to date? With the 2018-2020 Transformation Plan already yielding results, our teams were ready to take the next step. Responding to clients’ changing needs – and the rapidly changing face of the language services industry – our clever in-house developers and language technologists set to work creating a fresh range of modern, innovative linguistic services and working methods. 💡

In 2021, the Translation Centre proudly launched its new service offer and implemented new ways of working: automatic translation, custom machine translation and full post-editing, automatic transcription, paste ‘n’ go translation, light post-editing and language consultancy. 🚀 The language consultancy service in particular allows us to really flex with our clients’ needs, with one example being our collaboration with the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) to create a video tutorial on Clear Writing. ✨

While these services and working methods have been refined over time to keep pace with the latest advances in AI-based systems, they continue to be central to our work. They reflect our commitment to delivering efficient, high-quality solutions that meet the multilingual requirements of our clients across the EU bodies and agencies. 🌍

Our achievements in 2021 were made possible thanks to valuable cooperation with our clients and the dedication, creativity and expertise of our staff. 🤝 Their skills and drive to innovate ensured that we stayed ahead of the curve and continued to add value in a diverse linguistic services landscape. 🎉🗣️

🗣️ Transformation Plan takes shape in 2018! ✨

2018 saw the adoption of a bold new direction, with the launch of the Centre’s Transformation Plan (TP). 📈 With machine translation shifting into high gear, it was the perfect moment to tap into the power of large language models (LLMs) – unlocking smarter language services and optimising workflows for speed and efficiency. 🔧

The two-year plan kicked off with a series of in-house working groups designed to capture insights and expertise from our skilled and experienced staff. 💡 These discussions were distilled into a set of four strategic focus areas: translation technology, human resources, quality and client orientation, and institutional aspects. 🤖

The TP was successfully completed by the end of 2020, as scheduled. It represented a big leap forward in terms of upgrading our tech capabilities across both language and corporate services, and paved the way for the new tools, services and processes, and rapid progress that would follow in the years to come. 🚀

We’re proud to say that the Transformation Plan positioned us at the forefront of EU language services, enabling us to work more efficiently and respond to client needs with greater ease and agility. 🌍 It was hard work, but worth it in spades! 💪

Stay tuned to discover the new services that emerged from this strategic milestone. 🎉

🗣️ eCdT hits the ground running in 2016! 📅

Staying on track with the countdown to our 30th year anniversary, we now fast-forward to 2016 to mark another milestone – our new in-house workflow system. The culmination of years of strategic planning and innovation, ‘eCdT’ (from our French name, Centre de Traduction) is launched! 🚀

Our translation workflow management system was custom-designed by our talented in-house experts to meet the unique needs of the Translation Centre and its clients. 🔧 Replacing the legacy system, eCdT introduced a more streamlined experience and user-friendly interface for workflow assistants and translators alike. 🎉

The 2016 edition was the original release and laid the foundation for all subsequent updates. Its core design and vision remain central to the system today. Numerous features and functionalities have been added over time – both incrementally and through major new versions – to support the Centre’s expanding portfolio of services and evolving processes. 🖥️

In fact, eCdT is now so advanced it has developed into a fully integrated, end-to-end solution, from initial linguistic service request to final delivery, tailored to meet each client’s specific needs for
managing and delivering multilingual content smoothly and efficiently. 🌍

Stay tuned for more interesting snippets as we continue our journey through the history of the Translation Centre, and follow its progress through to its achievements today. ✨📈